Method and apparatus for pitting and slicing olives

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for pitting olives and then slicing the pitted olives. In a preferred embodiment, each olive is carried in a cup positioned between a coring knife and a pitting knife in a manner so that the longitudinal axes of the cup and the knives coincide. As the cup and knives rotate around a drive shaft along parallel circular paths, a system of cams extends and retracts the knives relative to the cup, in order to pit the olive. After the pitting operation, the cup (containing a pitted olive) continues to rotate along its circular path past a set of slicing knives or water jet cutters. The slicing elements are oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the cup&#39;s circular path, so that the slicing elements will sever the olive cleanly into slices as the cup translates past them. In the inventive method and apparatus, both the pitting and slicing operations are performed on each olive while the olive is held in a known orientation. The known orientation is not changed between the two operations, in order to enhance the uniformity of the resulting olive slices. The invention produces clean slices and reduces the amount of olive material destroyed during the slicing operation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 143,822, filed Jan. 13, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No.4,876,954.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for pitting and slicingolives. More particularly, the invention is a method and apparatuscapable of both removing the pits from olives and slicing the pittedolives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional olive pitting machines employ cam-driven pairs of opposed,coaxial pitting knives and coring knives to remove the pits from olives.In such machines, each olive is held during the pitting operation in aposition so that the olives's longitudinal axis coincides with the axisof the opposed knives.

To slice pitted olives using conventional machines, the pitted olivesmust be transferred from a pitting machine to a separate slicingmachine. In the process of transferring the pitted olives, theorientations of the pitted olives are randomized. Thus, the pittedolives are either sliced with random orientation or must be reorientedprior to slicing.

In conventional olive slicing machines, each pitted olive slice issevered from the remaining portion of the olive by a sawing operation inwhich two or more closely spaced parallel blades saw through the olive.This sawing operation does not result in a clean slice, and insteaddestroys a portion of the olive between and adjacent the parallelblades.

It has not been known until the present invention how to both pit andslice olives in a single machine, with each olive held in the sameorientation during both the pitting and slicing operation. Nor has itbeen known until the present invention how to perform the slicingportion of such combined pitting and slicing process in a mannerresulting in clean olive slices with negligible loss.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a method and apparatus for pitting olives and thenslicing the pitted olives. Each olive is carried in a cup as the cup isrotated along a circular path by a rotating drive shaft. In a preferredembodiment of the inventive apparatus, each cup is positioned between acoring knife and a pitting knife, so that the longitudinal axes of thecup and the knives coincide and the common longitudinal axis issubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the cup's circular path. Asthe pitting and coring knives rotate along circular paths parallel tothe cup's path, they are translated by cams along their commonlongitudinal axis into and out of engagement with an olive in the cup,in order to pit the olive. After the pitting operation, the cup(containing a pitted olive) continues to rotate along the circular pathuntil it meets a set of slicing knives (or water jet cutters). Theblades of the slicing knives are oriented substantially parallel to theplane of the cup's circular path, so that the slicing knives act aswedges to sever the olive cleanly into slices as the cup translates pastthe slicing knives. Where water jet cutters are employed instead ofslicing knives, their water jets should be aimed substantially parallelto the plane of the cup's circular path.

Preferably, each cup contains grooves, each of which grooves receivesone of the slicing knife edges after the edge has passed through apitted olive held in the cup. In another preferred embodiment, thesystem of the invention includes one or more stationary holding blades,each aligned with one of the slicing knives, and positioned along thecircular cup path. The cup rotates past the holding blades whilecarrying an olive which is impaled on the pitting knife. As the pittingknife withdraws from the olive, the olive engages the holding blades andthe holding blades exert a force on the olive opposing the force exertedby the withdrawing pitting knife. This allows the pitting knife toseparate from the olive. If the holding blades are aligned with theslicing knives, then the cuts produced by the holding blades will matchthose later produced by the slicing blades and will not detract from theappearance of the olive slices produced by the inventive apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, stripper bars are provided for stripping fromthe slicing knives any olive slices clinging thereto after the slicingoperation, and a star wheel drive is provided for rotating the slicingknives in a rotational direction opposite the direction in which thecups rotate.

The inventive method and apparatus perform both the pitting and slicingoperations on each olive while the olive is held in a known orientationand without changing that known orientation between the two operations.This enhances the uniformity of the resulting olive slices. The relativeorientation and motion of the olive and slicing knives (or water jetcutters) results in clean slices and reduces the amount of olivematerial destroyed during the slicing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying a preferredembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pitted olive that has been sliced bythe slicing knives of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a grooved olive cup of the type includedin a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 1 apparatus, taken alongline 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the FIG. 1 apparatus,taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the FIG. 1 apparatus,taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the FIG. 1 apparatus,taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment of agrooved cup that may be included in a preferred embodiment of theinventive system, taken in a plane including the cup's longitudinalaxis.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying anotherpreferred embodiment of the invention, in which water jet cutters areemployed rather than a set of slicing knives.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 10 apparatus, taken alongline 11--11 of FIG. 10, showing a water jet cutting unit directing fourhigh pressure water jets toward a pitted olive in a grooved cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The overall arrangement of a preferred embodiment of the inventiveapparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Olives 10positioned in cups 16 are translated along a circular path as plate 17rotates. Each cup 16 is fixedly attached to plate 17, and locked intoposition by lock ring 45 (shown in FIG. 5). Drive shaft 18 is fixedlyattached to plate 17 through the center of plate 17. Thus, when a drivemeans (not shown) rotates shaft 18 the cups are translated along acircular path in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of shaft18. It is contemplated that the inventive apparatus may include anynumber of cups 16.

Each of plunger shafts 21 and 23 is fixedly attached to a pair ofmembers 53 (shown in FIG. 5), which members are in turn fixedly attachedto shaft 18. A coring knife 24 is attached to the end of each of shafts23. A pitting knife 22 is attached to the end of each of shafts 21.Plate 17 and members 54 are oriented so that each cup 16 is positionedbetween one of knives 22 and one of knives 24, so that the longitudinalaxis of each component in each combination of these components (knives22 and 24 and the cup 16 therebetween) coincides with the longitudinalaxes of the other components in the combination. As shaft 18 rotates,plate 17 and members 53 rotate as a unit with shaft 18 so that each cup16, and the knives 22 and 24 spanning the cup, traverse parallelcircular paths.

As shaft 18 rotates, and the members (such as members 53 and plate 17)fixedly attached to shaft 18 rotate as a unit with shaft 18, rigid framemembers 14 and end plates 12 remain stationary. Cylinder 50 and cylinder51 are fixedly attached to frame members 14, so that they remainstationary as shaft 18 rotates. Cam track 28 is defined in the side wallof cylinder 50. Cam track 34 is defined in the side wall of cylinder 51.As shaft 18 rotates, cam followers 30 ride in track 28 and cam followers36 ride in track 24. A member 29 is connected between each cam followerand each of plunger shafts 21 and 23. Thus, when shaft 18 rotates, camfollowers 30 and 36, members 29, and shafts 21 and 23 move parallel tothe longitudinal axis of shaft 18.

Four slicing knives 60 are mounted on shaft 61. Shaft 61 is mounted onone of frame members 14. In a preferred embodiment, shaft 61 isrotatably mounted on frame member 14 and a drive means (to be describedwith reference to FIG. 3 below) is provided for rotating shaft 61 in thedirection opposite to the direction in which shaft 18 rotates (so thatfor example, if shaft 18 rotates clockwise, shaft 61 rotatescounterclockwise). For example, shaft 18 may be coupled by anappropriate coupling means (which may include a belt) to shaft 61, sothat a drive means which powers shaft 18 also drives shaft 61.Alternatively, shaft 31 may be fixedly connected to frame member 14 andno drive means provided for shaft 61, so that knives 60 will remainstationary as shaft 18 and cups 16 rotate.

When a pitted olive in one of cups 16 rotates into engagement withknives 60, each knife 60 acts as a wedge to slice cleanly through theolive as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, four slicing knives 60 (shown bydashed lines) sever the olive engaged therewith into clean slices 10athrough 10e. Each cup 16 preferably includes grooves 15, which areoriented parallel to the circular path traversed by the cup and parallelto the edges of parallel knives 60. Preferably, the separation betweenknives 60 matches the separation between grooves 15 so that knives 60have enough clearance to pass completely through the olive whileavoiding cup 16.

Although four slicing knives 60 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it iscontemplated that any number of slicing knives may be included in set ofknives 60. Further, although each knife 60 in FIG. 1 is shown to haveeight lobes (or blades), it is contemplated that each slicing knife mayhave circular shape or any other shape, provided that each slicing knifehas a sharp outer edge.

Stripper element 31 has stripper bars 31a defining slots for receivingknives 60. Any olive slices clinging to knives 60 will be stripped fromthe knives as they translate past stripper bars 31a of element 31.

Because each olive is positioned in a definite orientation in one ofcups 16 when it engages knives 60, the olive slices resulting fromoperation of knives 60 have uniform size and shape. After each olive ispitted, (in a manner to be described in more detail below with referenceto FIGS. 6 and 7) it has a predictable position relative to the cup(determined by action of the pitting and coring knives, and the holdingblades 20 to be discussed below), so that the knives 60 can bepositioned in advanced so as to produce substantially equal sized endpieces (such as end pieces 10a and 10e of FIG. 2). Unlike conventionalslicing machines which employ a sawing technique to produce each cutthrough an olive, each slicing knife of the inventive system acts simplyas a wedge to produce a clean cut through the olive without destroying asignificant amount of the olive to produce the cut.

Any conventional loading means may be employed for loading olives ontocups 16. Similarly, any conventional means may be employed for removingthe end product (the pitted olive slices) from the apparatus after theslicing operation. Examples of such an end product removal means includean air or water jet (not shown) and stripper member 31.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1 showing a cross-sectionof the FIG. 1 apparatus in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of shaft 18. Chain 40 comprises a plurality of links 44 (two ofwhich are shown in FIG. 3) and extends around a sprocket (not shown)adjustably mounted on member 54 in front of plate 17 (in the FIG. 3view). Accordingly, chain 40 is only partially shown, since if it werecompletely shown it would obscure plate 17 and various other elements inFIG. 3. As shaft 18 rotates clockwise, member 54 rotates plate 17clockwise, and causes chain 40 to rotate clockwise around path 43.Locking ring 45 (to be discussed below with reference to FIG. 5) ispositioned behind (and hence obscured by) plate 17, and has an outercylindrical surface indicated by dashed line 46 in FIG. 3.

Sprocket 42 (also referred to herein as "star wheel drive 42") ismounted on shaft 61 behind slicing knife 60 (i.e., into the pagerelative to slicing knife 60) so that sprocket 42 is partially obscuredby slicing knife 60. The relative size and shape of cups 16 and sprocket42 are chosen so that the cups 16 (and more specifically, the baseportions 11 of cups 16) fit between adjacent teeth 42a of sprocket 42.When shaft 18, member 54, and plate 17 rotate clockwise (as a unit),cups 16 rotate sprocket 42 (and shaft 61 and slicing knives 60 fixedlyattached to shaft 61) in a counterclockwise direction. One of thefunctions of the cups 16 is thus to drive the sprocket 42. Sincesprocket 42 and sprocket teeth 42a are fixed relative to slicing blades60, sprocket 42 also serves a timing function, in the sense that aspairs of adjacent sprocket teeth 42a engage with each cup, such teeth42a force the cup into a specific orientation relative to the blades ofslicing knives 60. Thus, each slicing knife 60 will rotate through thesame path relative to each cup as the knife slices an olive in the cup.

In an alternative embodiment, the end portion 41 of each link 44 extendssufficiently far toward sprocket 42 that the end portions 41 engage withsprocket teeth 42a. Accordingly, when chain 40 rotates clockwise, chain40 drives sprocket 42 (and shaft 61 and knives 60 fixedly attached toshaft 61) in a counterclockwise direction. In this alternativeembodiment it is unnecessary for sprocket teeth 42a to engage with cups16.

Mount 25 for holding blades 20 (not shown in FIG. 3) is attached bystationary member 26 (shown in FIG. 1) to one of frame members 14 (shownin FIG. 1). Mount 25 is positioned relative to the path of cups 16 sothat holding blades 20 engage the olive in each cup as the cup rotatespast mount 25.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of cup 16.Orifice 19 in base portion 11 of cup 16 attached to plate 17 is centeredabout longitudinal axis 70 of cup 16. Base portion 11 extends throughplate 17, and is fixedly attached to plate 17. During the pittingoperation, one of coring knives 24 extends through orifice 19 to coreone end of an olive held in cup 16. Cup 16 in FIG. 4 includes fourgrooves 15, each for receiving the edge of a different slicing knife.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a groovedcup (identified by reference numeral 16') that may be used in place ofcup 16 (shown in FIG. 4) in the inventive system. Cup 16' of FIG. 9 issized and shaped to receive an olive, whose outline is identified byreference numeral 10'. The four grooves 15' in cup 16' are for receivingslicing knives, as are the four grooves 15 of cup 16. However, grooves15' differ from grooves 15 in following respect. The ends 72' of eachgroove 15' extend closer to the outer edge of cup 16' than the ends 72of each groove 15 extend toward the outer edge of cup 16. Since grooves15 are longer than grooves 15', grooves 15' provide more clearance forthe slicing knives than do grooves 15. Cup 16' also includes a resilientinsert 13' within base portion 11'. Insert 13' is ring-shaped, and has alongitudinal axis which coincides with longitudinal axis of cup 16'. Theinner cylindrical surface of insert 13' defines orifice 19', whichorifice is oriented to receive one of coring knives 24. Insert 13' maybe formed of rubber or another resilient material. An advantage ofincluding resilient insert 13' is that insert 13' is capable oftemporarily deforming to admit an unusually large olive pit, or an olivepit that is mis-oriented with its longitudinal axis perpendicular toaxis 70' of cup 16'. In contrast, orifice 19 of cup 16 in FIG. 4 isdefined by base portion 11. Base portion 11 will typically be composedof a rigid substance (such as rigid plastic), and if so may either failto admit such an unusually large or mis-oriented pit, causing theinventive system to jam, or may break such a pit as the pit is pressedagainst base portion 11.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 1 apparatus, taken alongline 5--5 of FIG. 3. The upper plunger shaft 23 in FIG. 5 has beendriven by the associated cam follower 36 and member 29 connected theretointo a position fully extended to the left. The upper plunger shaft 21in FIG. 5 has been driven by the associated cam follower 30 and member29 connected thereto into a position fully extended to the right. Thus,if an olive would have been disposed in upper cup 16, the upper pittingknife 22 and the upper coring knife 24 (not shown in FIG. 5, since it isobscured by upper cup 16) would each have penetrated a different end ofthe olive. The lower plunger shaft 23 in FIG. 5 has been driven by theassociated cam follower 36 and member 29 connected thereto into aposition fully retracted to the right. The lower plunger shaft 21 inFIG. 5 has been driven by the associated cam follower 30 and member 29connected thereto into a position retracted to the left. Thus, the lowerpitting knife 22 and the lower coring knife 24 have been retracted toavoid hitting slicing blades 60 as lower knives 22 and 24 rotate pastslicing knives 60.

Rotating member 53 in turn rotates shafts 23 through a cylindricalregion surrounding shaft 18. As shafts 23 rotate, they also translate tothe left and to the right as cam followers 36 ride in cam track 34. Anidentical support means (not shown in FIG. 5 for simplicity) rotatesshafts 21 while allowing them to translate to the right and to the leftas cam followers 30 ride in cam track 28.

Each of ejector rods 55 is slidably positioned inside of one of plungers23 and is rigidly attached to member 52. As shaft 18 rotates, it causesmember 52 to rotate relative to stationary frame members 14. Therelative movement between plungers 23 and ejector rods 55 causes removalof pit 11a and olive end piece 12a from the coring knife 24 as eachplunger 23 is retracted.

As shaft 18 is rotated by a conventional drive means (not shown), plate17, locking ring 45, and members 52, 53, and 54 rotate as a unit withshaft 18. However, frame members 14 and cylindrical members 50 and 51(and end plates 12 shown in FIG. 1), remain stationary.

Locking ring 45 is fitted around the outer surface of cylindrical member54 to prevent cups 16 from rotating relative to plate 17. Base portion11 of each cup 16 preferably includes an arc-shaped notch having radiusof curvature matching the outer radius of ring 45, so that thearc-shaped notch mates with outer cylindrical surface 46 of ring 45.Friction between ring 45, plate 17, and member 54 prevents relativemotion therebetween. Since each base portion 11 mates with ring 45, ring45 holds base portions 11 fixed relative to each other and to ring 45,so that each base portion 11 is held fixed relative to plate 17.

The pitting operation will be described in more detail with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate cup 16 at two positions within asegment of its circular path during which pitting knife 22 and coringknife 24 are translated by the cam means associated therewith intoengagement with an olive in the cup, and during which knives 22 and 24are then retracted from the olive by the cam means.

In FIG. 6, pitting knife 22 (which preferably has a cross-shapedcross-section) has penetrated the left end of olive 10 and coring knife24 (which could be tubular or cross-shaped) has penetrated the right endof olive 10. At the stage of the pitting operation represented by FIG.6, coring knife 24 has begun to retract to the right. Simultaneously,pitting knife 22 continues to extend to the right, thus pushing pit 11aand end piece 12a of olive 10 to the right, away from the remainingportion of olive 10. End piece 12a would not be present if coring knife24 is cross-shaped rather than tubular.

At the stage of the pitting operation represented by FIG. 7, coringknife 24 has retracted to the right, pitting knife 22 has pushed pit 11aand end piece 12a away from the pitted olive remaining in cup 16, andpitting knife 22 has begun to retract to the left. Cup 16 has rotated toa position adjacent holding blades 25 so that pitted olive 10 is engagedwith holding blades 20 (which are mounted in mount 25). Thus, each ofholding blades 20 exerts a force on olive 10 resisting the force exertedby knife 22 on olive 10 as knife 22 retracts to the left. In this way,the olive is maintained in a predictable position in cup 16 for thesubsequent slicing operation. It is preferred that each holding blade 20be positioned opposite one of grooves 15 in cup 16, and that eachslicing knife 60 (shown in FIG. 8) also be positioned opposite one ofthe grooves 15. If so, then the earlier slices made by blades 20 willcoincide with the later slices made by knives 60, resulting in animproved appearance for the end product (olive slices) produced by theinventive apparatus. It is contemplated that any number of holdingblades 20 may be provided.

In an alternative embodiment, holding blades 20 may be omitted, and camtrack 28 shaped so that knives 60 engage the pitted olive while pittingknife 22 has not yet retracted from the olive (i.e., while pitting knife22 is in the position shown in FIG. 7). Of course, in such analternative embodiment, cam track 28 must be shaped so as to retractknife 22 sufficiently rapidly so that knife 22 avoids knives 60.

FIG. 8 illustrates cup 16 when the cup occupies a segment of itscircular path in which the pitting operation has been completed andpitting and coring knives have retracted. FIG. 8 shows wounds 72 in theend of pitted olive 10 that were produced upon retraction of pittingknife 22 from pitted olive 10. In FIG. 8, knives 60 have sliced all theway through pitted olive 10. The edge of each knife 60 extends into acorresponding one of grooves 15 in cup 16.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, knives 60 have produced four clean cuts, whichhave divided pitted olive 10 into five slices. After the processingstage shown in FIG. 8, knives 60 and cup 16 will rotate away from eachother so that these five slices may then be stripped from knives 60, forexample by stripper 31 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention will next be describedwith reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11differs from the FIG. 1 embodiment only in that slicing knives 60 andstripper member 31 are replaced by water jet cutter unit 200. Unit 200includes four high pressure water nozzles 201 mounted on a watermanifold 202. Each nozzle 201 emits a jet 203 of high pressure wateraimed substantially parallel to the plane of each cup 16's circularpath. It is contemplated that a water jet cutter unit having more thanfour (or less than four) nozzles may be substituted for unit 200 in FIG.10. Each water jet will make a cut through an olive in cup 16 in theFIG. 10 embodiment, just as each slicing knife 60 will make a cutthrough the olive in the FIG. 1 embodiment. Preferably, the jets areturned on (to slice a pitted olive within one of cups 16) during theperiod after pitting knife 22 has been retracted, while holding blades20 are engaged with the pitted olive.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the water jet cutter unit 200 ofFIG. 10, and a pitted olive 10 in a cup 16 adjacent unit 200. Pittedolive 10 is in the process of being sliced by four substantiallyparallel water jets 203 emerging from water nozzles 201. Water nozzles201 are attached to a supply of water within water manifold 202, in aconventional manner. Throughout the remainder of the application,including in the claims, the phrase "slicing element" shall be used todenote a member of the broad class of slicing implements includingknives and water jets.

The method of the invention includes the steps of: translating a cupcontaining an olive to be processed along a portion of a substantiallycircular cup path; translating a pitting unit along a path substantiallyparallel to the cup path; while the cup occupies a first segment of thecup path, extending a pitting knife and a coring knife included in thepitting unit into engagement with the olive to extract a pit from theolive, and retracting the pitting and coring knives away from the oliveand cup after the pit is extracted; and while the pitted olive remainsin the cup with unchanged orientation relative to the cup, translatingthe cup past a set of slicing elements (such as slicing knives or waterjets) in such a manner that the slicing elements engage with and slicethe pitted olive in the cup. Since the olive's orientation relative tothe cup is unchanged between the pitting and slicing operations (sothat, for example, the ends of the pitted olive have a predictableposition relative to the center of the cup), the slicing elements may beaccurately prepositioned to produce pitted olive slices having uniformsize and shape. In an embodiment employing slicing knives, the knivesmay be stationary or they may be rotating when they engage the pittedolive. In a preferred embodiment, the olive is translated past andengages with one or more holding blades (such as blades 20) during thepitting operation. Each holding blade is positioned relative to the cuppath so that, when the olive is engaged with the holding blade, theolive is impaled on the pitting knife and the pitting knife isretracting away from the olive in a first direction perpendicular to thecup path, and the holding blade exerts a force on the olive in a seconddirection opposite the first direction. Thus, the holding blade holdsthe pitted olive fixed with respect to the cup while the pitting kniferetracts away from the pitted olive. Alternatively, the slicing knivesmay be positioned so as to engage with the pitted olive while the oliveis impaled on the pitting knife and the pitting knife is retracting awayfrom the olive in a first direction perpendicular to the cup path. Inthis variation, the slicing knives exerts a force on the olive in asecond direction opposite the first direction, so as to hold the pittedolive fixed with respect to the cup while the pitting knife retractsaway from the pitted olive. However, in this variation, the slicingknives must be positioned so as to avoid penetrating so deeply into theolive (while the olive remains impaled on the pitting knife) that theslicing knives strike the pitting knife. The slicing knives insteadcommence their cuts while the olive is impaled on the pitting knife, andcomplete their cuts after the pitting knife has retracted away from thepitted olive.

The foregoing is merely illustrative and explanatory of the inventivemethod and apparatus. Various changes in the component sizes and shapes,and other details of the embodiments described herein may be within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An olive pitting and slicing apparatus,including:a rotatable drive shaft; a plate fixedly attached to the driveshaft; a first cup dimensioned to receive an olive, and fixedly mountedon the plate so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause the plate totranslate the first cup, and any olive within the first cup, along asubstantially circular cup path; a first pitting means capable ofextending toward the first cup when the first cup occupies a firstsegment of the cup path to extract an olive pit from an olive in thefirst cup, wherein the first pitting means is also capable of retractingaway from the first cup after extraction of the olive pit; and a set ofslicing elements mounted adjacent a second segment of the cup path, insuch a position that the slicing elements engage with and slice a pittedolive in the first cup when the first cup occupies the second segment ofthe cup path.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, also including:a second cupdimensioned to receive an olive, and fixedly mounted on the plate sothat rotation of the drive shaft will cause the plate to translate thesecond cup, and any olive within the second cup, along said cup path; asecond pitting means capable of extending toward the second cup when thesecond cup occupies the first segment of the cup path to extract anolive pit from an olive in the second cup, wherein the second pittingmeans is also capable of retracting away from the second cup afterextraction of the olive pit; and wherein the slicing elements engagewith a pitted olive in the second cup when the second cup occupies thesecond segment of the cup path, to slice the pitted olive.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pitting means includes:a firstcylindrical member defining a first cam track; a first pitting knifeattached to the drive shaft in a manner so that rotation of the driveshaft will cause the first pitting knife to translate along a pittingknife path substantially parallel to the cup path; a first cam followerriding in the first cam track and coupled to the first pitting knife soas first to push the first pitting knife into engagement with an olivein the first cup, and then to pull the first pitting knife out ofengagement with the olive, while the first cup occupies the firstsegment of the cup path and while the first pitting knife occupies afirst segment of the pitting knife path; a second cylindrical memberdefining a second cam track; a first coring knife attached to the driveshaft in a manner so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause thefirst coring knife to translate along a coring knife path substantiallyparallel to the cup path; and a second cam follower riding in the secondcam track and coupled to the first coring knife so as to push the firstcoring knife into engagement with an olive in the first cup while thefirst cup occupies the first segment of the cup path and while the firstcoring knife occupies a first segment of the coring knife path.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein each slicing element is a water jet. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each slicing element is a slicingknife.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the slicing knives remainstationary as the first cup translates through the second segment of thecup path.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the drive shaft iscapable of rotating in a first rotational direction so as to translatethe first cup along the cup path in said first rotational direction, andalso including:a frame; a slicing knife shaft rotatably mounted on theframe and fixedly attached to the slicing knives so that rotation of theslicing knife shaft will rotate each slicing knife; and a slicing kniferotation means coupled to the slicing knife shaft, for rotating theslicing knife shaft and the slicing knives as a unit in a secondrotational direction opposite the first rotational direction as thefirst cup translates through the second segment of the cup path.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the slicing knife rotation meansincludes:a sprocket fixedly attached to the slicing knife shaft andhaving sprocket teeth, wherein the sprocket teeth are positioned so asto engage with the first cup as the first cup translates along said cuppath in said first rotational direction, so that the first cup willdrive the sprocket in said second rotational direction as the first cuptranslates along said cup path in said first rotational direction. 9.The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the slicing knife rotation meansincludes:a sprocket fixedly attached to the slicing knife shaft; a chaincoupled between the drive shaft and the sprocket in such a manner thatrotation of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction willtranslate the chain along a chain path in said first rotationaldirection, and the chain will rotate the sprocket in said secondrotational direction as the chain rotates along said chain path in saidfirst rotational direction.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thefirst cup has a surface defining a number of grooves.
 11. The apparatusof claim 10, wherein each slicing element is a slicing knife alignedwith one of the grooves, so that when the slicing knives have sliced apitted olive in the first cup, each of the slicing knives extends intothe groove aligned therewith.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, whereineach slicing knife includes a number of lobes, and when the slicingknives have sliced a pitted olive in the first cup, each slicing knifehas a lobe extending into the groove aligned with said each slicingknife.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each slicing knife iscircularly shaped.
 14. The apparatus of claim 3, also including:a firstholding blade mounted in such a position adjacent the first segment ofthe cup path that the first holding blade engages with an olive in thefirst cup when the first cup occupies the first segment of the cup pathand the first pitting knife is engaged with the olive but is beingpulled out of engagement with the olive, and when the first holdingblade is engaged with the olive the first holding blade exerts aresisting force on the olive opposing the force exerted on the olive bythe first pitting knife as the first pitting knife is pulled out ofengagement with the olive.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, also includinga second holding blade mounted in such a position adjacent the firstsegment of the cup path that the second holding blade engages with anolive in the first cup when the first cup occupies the first segment ofthe cup path and the first pitting knife is engaged with the olive butis being pulled out of engagement with the olive, and when the secondholding blade is engaged with the olive the second holding blade exertsa resisting force on the olive opposing the force exerted on the oliveby the first pitting knife as the first pitting knife is pulled out ofengagement with the olive, and wherein each of the first and secondholding blades is aligned with one of the slicing elements so that anycuts made in the olive by the first and second holding blades will alignwith the cuts later made in the olive by the slicing elements.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein each slicing element is a slicing knife,and the slicing knives are mounted adjacent the first segment of the cuppath and adjacent the second segment of the cup path, in such a positionthat the slicing knives begin to engage with a pitted olive in the firstcup when the first cup occupies the first segment of the cup path andthe first pitting knife is engaged with the olive, and the slicingknives continue to engage with the pitted olive in the first cup whenthe first cup occupies the second segment of the cup path.
 17. An olivepitting and slicing apparatus, including:a rotatable drive shaft; aplate fixedly attached to the drive shaft; a plurality of cups, eachdimensioned to receive an olive, each said cup being fixedly mountednear an outer periphery of the plate so that rotation of the drive shaftwill cause the plate to translate the cups, and any olives within thecups, along a substantially circular cup path; a plurality of pittingunits, where each said pitting unit is mounted on the drive shaft in aposition adjacent one of the cups so that rotation of the drive shaftwill cause each pitting unit to translate as a unit with the cupadjacent thereto, where each said pitting unit is capable of extendingtoward the cup adjacent thereto when the cup occupies a first segment ofthe cup path in order to extract an olive pit from an olive in the cup,and where each said pitting unit is also capable of retracting away fromthe cup adjacent thereto after extraction of the olive pit; and a set ofslicing elements mounted adjacent a second segment of the cup path, insuch a position that the slicing elements engage with and slice a pittedolive in each cup as each said cup traverses the second segment of thecup path.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each slicing element isa slicing knife, and wherein the drive shaft is capable of rotating in afirst rotational direction so as to translate the cups along the cuppath in said first rotational direction, and also including:a frame; aslicing knife shaft rotatably mounted on the frame and fixedly attachedto the slicing knives so that rotation of the slicing knife shaft willrotate each slicing knife; and a slicing knife rotation means coupled tothe slicing knife shaft, for rotating the slicing knife shaft and theslicing knives as a unit in a second rotational direction opposite thefirst rotational direction while the cups translate along the cup path.19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the slicing knife rotation meansincludes:a sprocket fixedly attached to the slicing knife shaft; a chaincoupled between the drive shaft and the sprocket so that rotation of thedrive shaft in the first rotational direction will translate the chainalong a chain path in said first rotational direction, and so that thechain will rotate the sprocket in said second rotational direction asthe chain rotates along said chain path in said first rotationaldirection.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each cup has a surfacedefining a number of grooves.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20, whereineach slicing element is a slicing knife aligned with one of the grooves,so that when the slicing knives have sliced a pitted olive in one of thecups, each of the slicing knives extends into the groove alignedtherewith.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein each slicing knifeincludes a number of lobes, and when the slicing knives have sliced apitted olive in one of the cups, each slicing knife has a lobe extendinginto the groove aligned with said each slicing knife.
 23. The apparatusof claim 21, wherein each slicing knife is circularly shaped.
 24. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein each slicing element is a slicing knife,and the slicing knives remain stationary as the cups translate throughthe second segment of the cup path.
 25. The apparatus of claim 17,wherein each pitting unit includes:a first cylindrical member defining afirst cam track; a pitting knife attached to the drive shaft in a mannerso that rotation of the drive shaft will cause the pitting knife totranslate along a pitting knife path substantially parallel to the cuppath; a first cam follower riding in the first cam track and coupled tothe pitting knife so as first to push the pitting knife into engagementwith an olive in the cup adjacent the pitting unit, and then to pull thepitting knife out of engagement with the olive, while the cup adjacentthe pitting unit occupies the first segment of the cup path and whilethe pitting knife occupies a first segment of the pitting knife path; asecond cylindrical member defining a second cam track; a coring knifeattached to the drive shaft in a manner so that rotation of the driveshaft will cause the coring knife to translate along a coring knife pathsubstantially parallel to the cup path; and a second cam follower ridingin the second cam track and coupled to the coring knife so as to pushthe coring knife into engagement with an olive in the cup adjacent thepitting unit while the cup occupies the first segment of the cup pathand while the coring knife occupies a first segment of the coring knifepath.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25, also including:a first holdingblade mounted in such a position adjacent the first segment of the cuppath that the first holding blade engages with each olive in each cuptranslating through the first segment of the cup path while the pittingknife is engaged with said each olive but is being pulled out ofengagement with the olive, wherein the first holding blade exerts aresisting force on the olive when the first holding blade is engagedwith the olive, said resisting force opposing the force exerted on theolive by the pitting knife as the pitting knife is pulled out ofengagement with the olive.
 27. A method for pitting and slicing anolive, including the steps of:(a) translating a cup containing an olivealong a portion of a substantially circular cup path; (b) translating apitting unit, including a pitting knife and a coring knife, along a pathsubstantially parallel to the cup path; (c) while the cup occupies afirst segment of the cup path, extending the pitting knife and thecoring knife from the pitting unit into engagement with the olive in thecup to extract a pit from the olive; (d) retracting the pitting andcoring knives away from the cup after the pit is extracted; and (e)while the pitted olive remains in the cup with unchanged orientationrelative to the cup, translating the cup past a set of slicing elementsin such a manner that the slicing elements engage with and slice thepitted olive in the cup.
 28. The method of claim 27, also including thestep of:(f) while the olive is impaled on the pitting knife and thepitting knife is retracting away from the olive impaled thereon in afirst direction perpendicular to the cup path, translating the cup pasta holding blade, said holding blade being positioned so that the holdingblade engages with the olive and exerts a force on the olive in a seconddirection opposite the first direction.
 29. The method of claim 28,wherein the holding blade holds the pitted olive fixed with respect tothe cup while the pitting knife retracts away from the pitted olive. 30.The method of claim 27, wherein each slicing element is a slicing knife,and the slicing knives are positioned so as to engage with the pittedolive while the pitted olive is impaled on the pitting knife and thepitting knife is retracting away from the pitted olive impaled thereonin a first direction perpendicular to the cup path.
 31. The method ofclaim 30, wherein the slicing knives exerts a force on the olive in asecond direction opposite the first direction, so as to hold the pittedolive fixed with respect to the cup while the pitting knife retractsaway from the pitted olive.